Metal-bending machine.



G. E. WHEELER.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1917.

1,237,732. Patented Aug. 21,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- G. E. WHEELER.

METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. I917.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- f IIIIIII I n/ I A TED srarns PATENT oE ioE.

GARDNER, E WHEELER, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE ENGLISH 36 MERSICK CO., OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

METAL-IBENIDING MACHINE.

Specification, of Letters Patent.

Application filed. me 2, 1917. Serial No. 172,398.

' declare the following,'wlien taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the characters of reference marked thereon,- to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this application, andrepresent, in-

Figure 1 a top or plan view of a metal bending macliinefconstructed in accordance with my invention.

-Fig.- 2 a sectional view on theline 22 of Fig. 1. 2

Fig. 3 a sectional View on the line 3-8 of Fig. l, enlarged.

Fig. 4 a perspective view of one ofthe fold-closing bars detached.

Fig. 5 a face view of one of the guideplates with the guide-ring connected thereto.

Fig. 6 a plan view of a section of strip showing the various stages in the operation of closing the ribs therein.

This invention relates to an improvement in metal bending machines, and particularly to machines for folding strips of metal used in the production of automobile radiators, the object of the invention being to provide a simple arrangement of parts whereby a strip will be readily and evenly folded; and the invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In carrying out my invention I employ a frame or base 7 formed with deep notches 8 on opposite sides, in which notches I locate bearing-blocks 9 for a driving shaft 10. Keyed to the shaft 10 is a hub 11 and secured to opposite ends of the hubs are guide-plates 12 and 1.3 the inner faces of which are each formed with a series of radial grooves 14, the ends of the grooves being closed by rings 15. Between the guide-plates are a series of fold-closing bars 16 corresponding in number to the number of grooves and formed at their opposite ends with guide-ribs 17 which ride in the grooves 1 1. Between the hub and the bars 16 are springs 18 the adjacent faces of the hub and bar being recessed to receivelthe ends of the springs as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the'drawings- Arranged at each end of the hub and bearing thereon are barcams 19 and 20 the under faces of which have the same curvature as the curvature of the edge of the guide-plate, but stands eccentric to the center of the driving shaft soas to form a cam surface against which the fold-closing bars are pressed. The ends of the bar-cams are formed with notches 21 and 22 through which pass locking-bars 23 and 2A which are secured by locking screws 25. 'Across the top of the frame is a top plate 26 through which adjusting screws 27 and 28 extend onto a thrust plate 29 by which the bar-cams are adjusted. Secured tothe locking-bar 24: which is provided with alug 30 for the purpose, is a presser-plate 31, the lower end 32 of which is concentric with the edge of the guide-plate and the upper end eccentric thereto following the curve of'the under face of the bar-cams, the plate being held in place by screws 33. A strip of metal 3 1 is primarily formed with V-shaped bends or ribs 35in the usual way, and this strip is passed between the lower end of the presser-plate and the fold-closing bars so that one of the bends will extend between two of the said bars. As the hub revolves the guide-plates are turned and the strip is carried upward, the succeeding ribs entering between the successive bars. As the hub continues its movement the foldclosing bars are moved radially inward, gradually contracting the space between them, and gradually closing the folds in the strip until those folds have been closed together so that the sides of the folds stand parallel, or in other words, the ribs are formed at right angles to the plane of the plate. As the hub continues its movement past the uppermost point, the fold-closing bars gradually move outward so as to release the strip which is discharged from the machine. As the fold-closing bars pass the ends of the bar-cams, they are thrown outward to the limit of their movement by the springs 18 ready to again come into operation when they again pass the lower end 32 of the presser-plate. If heavy stock is used for the strip the inward movement of the fold-closing bars will be less, in which case the bar-cams will be slightly raised. Pro- Patented Au 21, 1917.

metal bending machine Comprising {3W0 guide-plates formed vitlr radialribs, a hub on ,Wli i ch said gu de-plates are mo unted, r ngsseeured to the edges of sand guideplates and closing the outer ends of the grooves therein, a series offold-closing bars formedat opposite ends ith ribs eXtending int? the grooves the guide-plate springs arranged between the hnb and sa d foldclos n'g bars, bar -c ams bear ng upon the eag s'pf said fold-closing bars, and a presseradapted to'hold astrip of metal in ena emen w t s ld-clo i s 1-3. A'nietal' bending machine comprising a driving shaft, a' hub mounted thereon, guideplatessecured tothe opposite ends of said hub, said guidepl ates formed with radial grooves, fold-closing bars arranged between the said guide-plates and provided with end enter' gfihe -g'remves inthe said guideplate, bar-Cams bearing ,on OPPOSltG, ends of said ifoldelosing .bars and tending to force said bars nward, locking baits ,for holding thebar-cams in position, and means for adusting the elevation ofthe said bar-cams. Y

4. A metal bending machine comprising a ,frame formed with notches, bearing blocks located 1 I1 Szt1Cl ,notehes, a driving shaft mounted in said bearing-blocks, a hub connected tosaid driving shaft, guide-plates secured to opposite ends of the hub, said guide-plates formed With radial grooves,

ringssecured to said guide-plate and the outer ends of the said grooves, a series of fold-closing bars located between said guideplates and formed at opposite ends ith-ribs entering the-grooves, in the said guide plate,

springs arranged between the1hnbaridthe said "fold-closing. bars,.bar-cams in the path of the ends 'of'f'thefsaid fold-closing bars a thrust plate bearing onthe upper-edges of said barcams, saidbarcams formed at opposite ends vith notches, loclring bars extending through said notchesivhereby said bar cams are locked inposition, adjusting plates resting v on thetop of said fi'an1e, .adjusti'ng's'creivs extending through said ad- 'ustin olate and bearin ,onsaid thrust 3 =5 l e plate, and a presser plate extending over the foldrclo sing bars tending to hold the strip to'be in folded engagement therewith.

In testimony whereof, "I'l ave s ignedzthis specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses. I I

GARDNER E. WVHEELEB.

\Vitnesses I lVLX R'IIHA TI-IEISS,

EMI Y C. DAVIS.

,pqpies of this patent may be obtained forji ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner,of-Patents, H Washingtomll). 0. 

